New York State's Attorney General is trying, for the second year in a row, to win legislative approval for a plan to deal with "zombies." As Bill Carey reports, the zombies Eric Schneiderman is talking about are not the kind you find in movies or on TV.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- These are what the state considers "zombies".
A collapse in the real estate market, continued hard times in the economy and a slow foreclosure system on mortgages has created more and more zombie properties every day.
"The bank doesn't own them yet, so nobody maintains them. They fall into disrepair and become havens for crime, decay, vandalism and arson. Zombies weigh very heavily on our local governments. They shrink the tax base. They decrease the property value of neighboring homes and they're an enormous burden for code enforcement and emergency service providers," said Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, D - New York.
The Attorney General has been trying to craft a solution to the problem since last year, when an effort to enact reforms fell short. This year, Eric Schneiderman is hoping lawmakers will approve a plan.
"The bill would require banks to provide homeowners with early notice that they are legally entitled to remain in their homes until ordered to leave by a court. The reason we have so many zombies is a lot of homeowners fall behind in their and think they have to get to. They abandon the property before a court order requires them to leave," Schneiderman said.
The bill also step foreclosure procedures and holds banks more accountable for taking possession of abandoned buildings. It's a bill that more and more local leaders are urging action on.
"We will work on the property itself, here in Syracuse, but we need legislative action in Albany to help us put a system in place, that gives us the tools to break this logjam that we have," said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner.
"These types of properties and people trespassing on these properties are responsible for numerous calls for police services. And if we can get these buildings occupied, then our neighborhoods will become a lot safer than what they are now," said Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler.
"As you know, the structure of our government in Albany, stopping things is often easier than getting things done. But, I'm very, very optimistic because this is such a crying need, with such a clear solution," said Schneiderman.
Schneiderman saying it offers upsides for communities all across the state.